Laundry hanger



E. K. RALSTON LAUNDRY HANGER Nov. 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 29, 1946 m, UQ R O W5 w @QA n B m E. K. RALSTON LAUNDRY HANGER Nov. 17, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheer 2 Filed May 29, 1946 W. His A Im/ewctor Eldon Kipp RaLSvL'OTw, bg

Patented Nov. 17, 1953 UNITED STATES ATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to a laundry hanger, and more particularly to a laundry hanger of the overhead suspended type for use in basements, laundry rooms, and attics, for instance.

Clotheslines strung indoors in basements, laundry rooms and the like are usually low-hanging and sagging in character, thus interfering with the free and unhindered movement of persons about the basement or laundry room through lack of suicient head room. Moreover, such lowhanging clotheslines always pose the danger of serious accident to persons who may be walking about in the dark unaware of their presence. While this condition may be eliminated by taking down the clothesline following each period of use, this is seldom ever done as a practical matter because of the considerable inconvenience involved.

It is an object of my invention, therefore, to provide a laundry hanger of the overhead suspended type which, when not in use, may be quickly and easily moved from its lowered clotheshanging position to a raised inoperative position up against the ceiling Where it will be out of the way.

Another object of my invention is to provide a laundry hanger of the ceiling suspended type which is of simple and sturdy construction and which can be easily mounted in place on the ceiling or ceiling rafters.

A feature of the invention is the provision of a spring-lift arrangement for returning and maintaining the hanger in its raised inoperative position while permitting the hanger to remain in its lowered clothes-hanging position when moved to such position.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will appear from the following description of species thereof and from the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan View of a laundry hanger comprising my invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the hanger; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Figs. 4 and 5 are plan and end views, respectively, of a modied form of laundry hanger comprising my invention; Fig. 6 is a section on the line E-S of Fig. 4; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the locking arrangement for the support arms of the modied hanger shown in Figs. 4-6; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the spring lift arrangement for the hangers shown in Figs. 1-6; and Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a modified form of spring lift arrangement for the hanger of Figs. 1 3.

Referring to Figs. 1-3, the laundry hanger there shown comprises a spaced pairl of horizontally-extending parallel spreader bars it between (Cl. ,2H-119.16)

which a clothesline or wire II is strung back and forth. The spreader bars lll are preferably formed of metal tubing or pipe of a suitable size, for instance, of l" outside diameter or thereabouts, and they are preferably provided with transverse apertures through which the clothesline I I may be threaded.

Each spreader bar I Il is supported from an overhead support, such as a ceiling or ceiling rafters i2, by means of a swing mounting comprising a set of two or more L-shaped swing hangers or support arms i3 each comprising a horizontally extending leg portion Ill and a swinging leg portion i5. The horizontal leg portions Ill of the several hanger or support arms I3 all extend approximately parallel to one another. In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 3, the leg portions Ili of each set of support arms extend in a direction transversely of their respective spreader bar it and preferably in a direction towards the leg portions Ill of the other set of support arms I3 for the spreader bar at the opposite end of the hanger. The several support arms I3 are preferably made of a single piece of metal tubing or pipe bent into shape, the tubing or pipe being of a suitable size, for instance, of l" outside diameter or thereabouts.

The horizontal leg portions ifi of the support arms i3 are each rotatably supported in a relatively widely spaced pair of inverted U-shaped brackets I6, Il to permit rotation of the support arms about the axes of their said leg portions Irl. The brackets It, I? are suitably fastened, as by screws, to the ceiling or to adjacent ceiling rafters l 2, I2, as shown. The outer brackets I 6 each have bearing openings it in both their depending arms for the leg portions I Il of the support arms I3. The inner brackets il, however, have bearing openings il for the support arm leg portions Ill in only one of their depending arms, i. e., arm I8, as shown in Fig. 8. The other depending arms i9 of the brackets il act as end stops against which the ends of the support arm leg portions I. engage to limit movement of the support arms i3 inwardly of the hanger. The swinging leg portions i5 of each set of support arms t3 are pivotally connected at their free ends to the respective spreader bar l', as by bolts 2S for instance, in a manner to permit pivotal movement therebetween about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the support arm leg portions I4.

The spreader bars te and the associated clothesline l I are normally held in an elevated or inoperative position more or less up against the ceiling or ceiling rafters, as shown in dash dot lines in Fig. 3, by spring lift means 2|, separate means 2i preferably being provided for each support arm i3. As shown more particularly in Fig. 8, each spring lift means 2I comprises a tension coil spring 22 extending more or less transversely of and across one end of the leg portion I4 of the associated support arm i3 and acting on the support arm in such a manner as to rotate it and thus lift4 thespreader bar Illsupportedthereby whenever the spreader bar is shiftedfromits lowermost or operative position to cause the support arm leg portion I5 to be swung a slight amount to one side or the other of its vertical or dead center position. To produce such overthrow action of the spring 22 on the supporta-rm. I3, one end of the spring is fulcrumed on a xed support or hook 23 and its other end connected tothe support arm in a manner such that the oppositeends of the spring are anchored at points located on diametrically opposite sides of the axis of rotation of the support armwhen the leg portion I5 thereof is in its vertical or downwardly swung position. In this down position of the support arm then, the force of the tensioned spring 22 will be directed or centered through the axis of rotation of the support arm I3 (i. e., the axis of the leg portion i4 thereof) asa-result of which the support arm will remain insuch down' or dead center position. The friction in the support arm bearings serves toprovide a limited amount of variation from the' exact dead center position of the support arm before the spring 22 will act to rotate the said arm. To raise the vspreader bar I to its elevated position, it is merely necessary to shift the bar longitudinally a slight amount so asto swing the associated support arms I3 to one side or the other of their down or dead center position, thus causing the force of the spring 22 to be correspondingly shifted and directed to one sidel of the axis of rotation of the associated support arm whereby it acts to pivot or swing the said arm upwardly, carrying the spreader bar up along therewith to its raised orinoperativeposition,` as

shown in dash dot lines in Fig. 3.

' 1x1-the particular case illustrated,` the fixed support or hook' 23 on which one end-of the spring 22 is fulcrumed is in the form of an armor lug projecting more or less horizontally from the outer face of the bracket arm I5!v adjacent the upper end thereof and substantially aligned vertically with the support arm leg portion I4. The said spring hook or lug 23 may be conveniently formed by punching it out of the bracket arm I9 duringthe fabrication of the bracket I1. Ad-

jacent its free end, the spring hook or lugY 23 is notched or crimped, as indicated at 24 (Fig. 7), to provide a seat within which one end of the spring 22 `is hooked to thereby lock the spring in place on the hook. The other'end of the spring 22 is anchored to a more or less L-shaped spring `post 25 fastened to and extending from the underside of the support arm I3 at a point intermediate the two arms I8, I9 of bracket I1. The free end 25 of the spring post 25 is bent at an angle approximating 90 so as to extend beyond the bracket leg I9. As will be apparent from Fig. 3, the spring post 25 is mounted on the support arm I3 in a manner such that the plane defined by the bent arms of the spring post substantially coincides with the plane dened by the leg portions I4, I5 of the support arm. As a result, the bent end portion 23 of the spring post 25 will be vertically aligned with and will underlie the spring `hook 23 when the support arm 4I3 is in its-vertical down position, thus insuring that the force of the spring 22 will be directed through the axis of rotation of the support arm so as not to rotate the arm when it is in the said down position. Like the spring hook 23, the spring post 25 is notched or crimped adjacent its free end, as indicated at 21, to provide a seat around which the end of the spring 22 is hooked to thereby lock the spring in place on the post. As shown in Fig. 2, the seat 24 furthe. upperwend oL-.the-spring22 sis located further'beyond the bracket leg IS thanthe seat 21 on the spring post 25 whereby the spring 22 ,-.istilted inwardly in a manner to exert a slight tion I4. continuously against the leg I9 of support bracket I 1.

AVIheimodiication illustrated in Figs. 4-'7 is similar ,tobut diiers from the form of the invention shown inFigs. 1-3 in that the movement of the hanger to its elevated or inoperative position is effected by a lateral rather than a longitudinal shifting of the spreader bars I0. In this case, the support arms I3 for each spreader bar I0 Vare mounted vwith their horizontal leg portions` 4I4 aligned axially and extending substantiallyparallel tov the spreader bar instead of transversely thereof as in Figs. 1-3. While the spreaderbars I3 in 'this modification may be secured'to their respective support arms I3 in the same manner as before, i. e., by bolts, they may if desired berotatably'mounted thereon instead'so' as to rotate on their own axes during the swingingmovement of the' support arms. For this purpose, the spreader bars i3 may be"supportedin hearing hangers 28 fastened to the free ends ofthesupport arm leg portions I5.

As shown in Fig. 7, suitable locking means23 are provided for locking the. support arms i3 of this modification in their downwardly swung po'sition,A they said locking means thus serving to prevent the-weightof any clothes hangingon Lthe Vclothesline II from pulling thesm'eader bars. I3 towards* one another whereby the springsi 22 would tend to swing the support arms and associated spreader bars-upwardly to their raised position. The locking means 23 may comprise. an L-shaped platespring 30 mounted on one 'of the support brackets I5 for the support arms I3, only one such spring 35 being necessary for. each spreader bar I fl. One arm 3I of the spring 3i) is fastened to Aone of the depending legs. ofthe bracket VIi'while the other arm 32 extendsunderneath the said bracket and is laterally lockedin a'notch 33 in the other leg of the bracket. YThe leg 32 of the spring 33 is provided with an aperture 34 to receive a locking pin 35 projecting 'laterally from thel support arm leg portion I4.

When thesupport arm VI3 is swung down to its lowered or vertical down position,.the end of the pin 35 engages and 'exes the spring leg,32.until the pin comes opposite the aperture 34 whereupon the spring leg 32 snaps over the pinl thus locking the support arm I3 against further rotation. '.'Ihe release of the locking means 29 to permit return of the spreader bar I0 to its raised position is effected simply by deflecting the spring leg 32 downwardly to disengage the pin 35 from the aperture 34 and then swinging the spreader bar and. associated support arms upwardly while the said spring leg is so deiiected. A pull chain or cord 36 may be attached to the free end of the spring leg 32 to enable convenient release of the locking means 29.

"The modified arrangement illustrated ini'ligs. 4J." has the additional advantage over the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1-3 in that the lowering or raising of the hanger can be effected by the shifting of only one of the spreader bars iii, whereas in the form shown in Figs. 1-3 each bar Eli must be moved separately. To accomplish this, it is merely necessary to move that spreader bar iii which, through the clothesline il interconnecting the two spaced spreader bars, will pull the other spreader bar along therewith. Of course, it is necessary in such case for the clothesline li to be stretched more or less taut between the two spreader bars.

Fig. 9 illustrates a modified form of spring lift means 3l which may be utilized with the form of hanger shown in Figs. 1-3 in place of the spring lift means 2i therein illustrated. The modii'ied spring lift means 3l comprises a tension coil spring 3c extending more or less parallel to the vertical plane of and alongside the cooperating spreader bar it and connected between a pair of spring posts 39, [it extending, respectively, from the spreader bar l@ and the leg portion i5 of support arm i3. The spring posts 39, et are so arranged as to anchor the opposite ends of the spring 38 on opposite sides of the pivotal connection (bolt 2E?) between the spreader bar ic and support arm i3 when the said bar is in its lowered position. As a result, the force of the tensioned spring 38 will be directed or centered through the said pivotal connection and thus will have no tendency to pivotally close together the lowered spreader bar and support arm. However, when the spreader bar le is shifted a slight amount longitudinally from its lowered or dead center position, the forceof the spring will be correspondingly shifted or directed to one side of the pivotal connection between the spreader bar and support arm as a result of which it will act to pivotally close them together, thus swinging the spreader bar up to and holding it in its raised position.

Where the spreader bars It, when in their raised position up against the ceiling, are out of rea-ch of the person desiring to use the hanger, a pull cord or chain may be fastened to each spreader bar by means of which they may be conveniently pulled or swung down to their lowered clotheshanging position.

The use of support arms i3 formed of a single length of metal tubing bent to shape and mount ed transversely of the spreader bars lil as in Figs. 1-3, together with the supporting of said arms i3 at widely spaced points theres-long in the brackets 25, Il, provides an exceptionally sturdy and rugged hanger construction which will effectively withstand the service conditions to which it is subjected.

What claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A laundry hanger comprising a horizontally extending spreader bar for supporting a clothesline, a plurality of hanger arms fastened to and suspending said spreader bar from an overhead support, arms comprising horizontally extending `pivot shaft portions of app-reciable length and swing leg portions extending transversely of and integral with said horizontal shaft portions and pivotally connected adjacent their free ends to the spreader bar, and support means mounted on said overhead support and supporting the pivot shaft portions of said hanger arms at widely spaced points therealong and in parallel relation for rotation about their respective axes whereby the spreader bar may swing between a lowered operative position and a raised inoperative position.

2. A laundry hanger comprising a horizontally extending spreader bar for supporting a clothesline, and a plurality of hanger arms fastened to and suspending said spreader bar from an overhead support, said arms each comprising a onepiece tubular metal member having a longitudinally extending pivot shaft portion of appreciable length and a laterally bent end leg portion pivotally connected adjacent its free end to the spreader bar, and sup-port brackets mounted on said overhead support and supporting the pivot shaft portions of said hanger arms at widely spaced points therealong and in parallel relation for rotation about their respective axes whereby the spreader bar may swing between a lowered operative position and a raised inoperative position.

3. A laundry hanger comprising a horizontally extending spreader bar for supporting a clothesline, a plurality of hanger arms fastened to and suspending said spreader bar from an overhead support, said arms comprising horizontally extending pivot shaft portions of appreciable length and swing leg portions extending transversely of and integral with said horizontal leg portions and pivotally connected adjacent their free ends to the spreader bar, separate support bracket means on said overhead support for each hanger arm, said support bracket means supporting the pivot shaft portions of said hanger arms at widely spaced points therealong and in parallel relation for rotation about their respective axes whereby the spreader bar may swing between a lowered operative position and a raised inoperative position, and spring lift means for at least one of the hanger arms, said spring lift means comprising a tension coil spring connected at its opposite ends to respective anchoring means on the hanger arm and on the associated support bracket means to anchor the opposite ends of the spring on diametrically opposite sides of the rotational axis of the hanger arm pvot shaft portion when the spreader bar is in its lowered position.

4. A line hanger as set forth in claim 3 wherein each of said hanger arms is provided with the said spring lift means, and each hanger arm and its associated support bracket means are respectively provided with a spring post and a projecting arm to which the opposite ends of the spring are anchored.

5. A line hanger comprising a pair of horizontally extending parallel spreader bars spaced apart laterally of each other, a clothesline strung between and interconnecting the two spreader bars, a separate pair of hanger arms fastened to and suspending each spreader bar from an overhead support means, said arms comprising one-piece tubular metal members each having a horizontal pivot shaft portion of appreciable length extending transversely of the spreader bar and a laterally bent outer end leg portion pivotally connected at its free end to the spreader bar with the horizontal pivot shaft portions of the hanger arms extending toward the other spreader bar at the opposite end of the line hanger, said overhead support means comprising a pair of support brackets for each hanger arm rotatably supporting the horizontal pivot shaft portions or" the hanger arms therein at Widely spaced points therealong, the innermost one of each pair of support brackets having a stop surface opposed to and engaged by References Cited-n thellef thisg, patent UTI'I'ED STATES PATENTS Number j Name Date 118,497 Charlton Apr.A 11, 1871 208,531 Marqua Oct...1, 1878 489,305 Hanson Jan. 3,. 1893 Number 20 Number 8 Name Date .Anderson July 27, 1915 .,Schureman et a1.. Nov. 27, 1917 '.Leinecke Dec. 31, 1918 Facciuto July 11, 1922 v=Axen Apr. 29, 1924 Pringle Oct. 20, 1925 Drake Oct. 5, 1926 Dahl May 29, 1928 Henryson Jan. 8, 1929 Banda Aug. 11, 1931 Clark May 10, 1938 AMoecker July 19, 1938 Luppert. May 26, 1942 Orton July 14, 1942 Rousoulp May 25, 1943 Carroll June 28, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date 'Great Britain Oct. 25, 1928 

